The smart phone platform is not without gospel utility, I've learned.
On the first-generation Motorola Android, I can pull up a google map layer of everyone in the ward or a layer just the Elders Quorum. It's one thing to have a ward list in-hand. It's another experience to see it on a map - to see where people live in relation to each other. I can click on a list entry and get driving directions.
A new ward member showed up. I pulled out the ward map layer on the phone, asked where he lived and then showed him the members that lived nearby. That gave him a nice visual of where members lived in relation to him.
I've gone out with the missionaries and have been able to see the members nearby on the phone map. Elders Quorum or Relief Society presidencies can plan out some visiting routes with it.
I've got phone numbers and some email addresses in the ward list map layer - so I'm a couple phone clicks away from making calls or sending an email message. Making a ward map layer is not instantaneous, but is do-able. I'll post a how-to soon. The process starts with a download of the ward list from LDS.org.
In my Elders Quorum, we use a web-based planning tool called BaseCamp. There's a phone widget for Basecamp called Beacon. With that, I can see Presidency to-do lists, upcoming events and send email messages to Presidency members.
My smart phone has a full web browser - so while at church I can pull up resources from LDS.org like the scriptures, Sunday School or Elders Quorum lessons from the manual, hymns and so on. The LDS.org site offers audio links so one can listen to the scriptures. I've used this in class to add a change of pace - as my phone can broadcast pretty loud.
There are plenty of options for taking notes with the phone. I've found myself keeping notes of meetings and lessons at church with Evernote. The note can be in the form of text that I type, audio that I record or a photo.
I have purchased one gospel-related third-party add-on called Stake Central. I give it my LDS.org credentials, and it will download the ward lists and calendar items for all the wards in my stake. That makes it easy to get phone numbers and driving directions. It still doesn't offer the visual effect of a map layer, but it's still nice. I can password protect it so the information isn't accessible for someone else.
Phones are a kind of infinite game. I'll keep getting one ever so often for the rest of my life. I was hoping that these newer, fancier phones would yield me some utility for my gospel endeavors and have been happy to find that my smart phone has proven helpful.
If you've found additional ways to use your smart phone for gospel activities, please share.
